Arepa
Arepas are round corn cakes that are traditionally eaten with almost all meals , mainly in Colombia and Venezuela , but also in Panama .
preparation
Arepas are traditionally made from hulled corn. The corn kernels are first soaked, boiled in a special way (see Nixtamalization ) and ground before they are formed into a dough and baked on a grid. In order to reduce the preparation time, however, precooked corn flours are increasingly being used industrially for this purpose, which can be formed into a mass by adding water and a little salt.
For the production of the arepas or for the preparation of the pre-cooked corn flours that are often used, white corn is predominantly used, as it is more neutral in taste due to the lack of carotenes . The dough is kneaded, shaped into balls and then squeezed into a palm-sized flatbread. The cakes are then baked on both sides on a hot oven plate and often additionally baked in the oven or deep-fried in oil. Arepas are freshly prepared and served warm.
variants
There are different arepa forms. For example, large and narrow arepas are baked in the Andes , while thick and small are fried on the coast. In the Andes, arepas are mainly made from wheat flour. Some restaurants and fast food places also offer arepitas, small arepas, as an accompaniment to the various dishes. The arepas are cut open and filled with various dishes: seasoned meat fillings (carne mechada), fish, cheese, ham and vegetables or avocados .
On the Caribbean coast of Colombia, arepas are also prepared with egg as a filling ( Arepa'e Huevo ). Arepas are often eaten at home for breakfast. In Areperas or Areperías , the fast food restaurants that specialize in Arepas , usually all variants are offered with a wide variety of fillings.
In Ecuador, arepas are small, sweet flat cakes made from cornmeal and pumpkin that are wrapped in achira leaves. This is a specialty made from patate in Tungurahua .
